Nozzle



July 5,1932. 'NER 1,866,502

NOZZLE Filed June 1, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS CATo I VERSpN July 5,1932. ERS N 1,866,502

NOZZLE Filed June 1. 1931- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT-OR CATO IVEASON ATTO RNEY3 July 5,1932. ,V 4 1,866,502

NOZZLE Filed June 1, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR CA "m I VERSON ATTO RN EY5 Patented July 5, 19 32 UNITED STATES PATENT orricuv CATO IVERSON, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T NATIONAL RUBBER MACHINERY COM-- PAN Y, 0F AKRON, 01-110, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO NOZZLE 1 1 Application filed .Tune 1 This invention relates tonozzles such as are used on the delivery ends of fiuid-conduct1ng pipes, and more especially it relates to noz-' zles adapted for sealed connection to other .5 fluid-conducting elements. 7

For illustrative purposes the invention is herein shown in association with vulcanizing apparatus for vulcanizing inner tubes for pneumatic ,tire casings, the nozzle being adapted to connect the valve stem of the inner tube to an inlet and outlet pipe 'which conducts vulcanizing fluid to and from the work. I The chief objects of the invention are to 3 facilitate the connecting of the nozzle to the valve stem of an inner tube mounted in the vulcanizer; to provide a leak-proof connec tion between the nozzle and a valve stem and to provide against escape of fluid from the i0 nozzle. Other objects will be manifest as the specification proceeds.

Of the accomp anying drawings,

Figurefl is a. fragmentary section through a vulcanizer forinner tubes, andthe work therein, and the improved nozzle, in elevation, in operative association with the work;

Figure 2 is a section on a larger scale on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section onthe line Fi1re2;

igure 4 is a section on a larger scale on the line 44 ofFigure ,3; and

Figure 5 is a section on a larger scale on the line 5-5 of Figure 3. j p 5 Referring to the drawings, the vuloanizer with which the improved nozzle is associated is herein shown as a watchcase type vulcanizer.of known design comprising a supporting table or stationary platen 10, an annular, steam-jacketed lower mold section 11,.an annular, steam-jacketed upper mold section 12, a spider 13 that carriessaid upper mold section, and a bracket 14 on which said spider is pivotally mounted at 15. The spider 13, is adapted to be locked in its lowered, mold closing position by means of a rotatable locks ing post 16 that projects upwardly through the mold sections at the axis thereof and. has its upper end portion formed with a plu- O rality of radially projecting lugs, such as the 1931. ,Serial No. 541,189.

lug '17, thatinterlock with'a complemental I series of lugs 18 extending downwardly from the spider 13. The lower mold section 11 is loosely. mounted uponthe stationary platen 10, being determinately positioned thereon by means of a plurality of upstanding lugs 19 that are formed on said platen and engage the inner peripheral wall of the mold section. An expansible bag or tube 20 is mounted in an annular recess 21 in the platenlO, beneath the mold section 11, the arrangement providing means for imparting limited axial movement to said mold section so as complete- 7 1y to close the mold sections 11, 12 after the V spider is locked in its lowered position by the locking post 16. U

Each'of the mold sectionsll, 12 comprises one-half of an annular molding cavity 24 adapted to receive aninflatable, unvulcanized rubber article such as the inner tube 25. The molding cavity 24 is not divided along the median plane of the mold, but at an angle thereto such that the parting of the mold at its inner peripheryis above the median plane of the molding cavity. The arrangement is such as to provide a. low, inner peripheral wall l1 above the central plane of the cavity 24 in the lower mold section, which wall provides the desirable button effect that fae cilitates the mounting of the tube 25 in the lower half of the molding cavity. Formed in the inner peripheral wall of the lower mold section 11, at the rear thereof, is a reentrant or recess 26 that extends from adjacent the top of the wall 11 to the bottom of the mold section. At the central plane of the molding cavity 24, the wall of the lower mold section is formed with a tapered aperture 27 that opens into the reentrantv 26, and an apertured and countersunk metal disk 28 is removablymounted in the wall of the cavity 24 with its aperture aligned with the aperture, 27, the exposed face of the disk 28 being flush. with the surface of said cavity. The arrangement is such that a valve stem .29, that is mounted ina suitable aperture in the inner peripheral Wall of the inner tube 25 may be passed through the aperture in the disk 28 and through the aperture 27 ,and suit ably positioned within the reentrant 26, in the mold wall, the threaded portion 29 of the valve stem 29 fitting nicely within the aperture in the disk. The disk 28 is removable to permit replacement with other disks having different size apertures to accommodate valve stems having different size threaded portions at their bases. Although the valve stem 29 is shown as an angular stem, the invention is not thereby limited since it will function as well if the valve stem is straight.

In order that the Valve stem will be fixedly positioned during the vulcanizing operation and not be displaced by the pressure of the internal vulcanizing fluid, manually operated means is provided for gripping and holding said stem. Said means comprises a pair of a-rcuate jaws 30, 30 that extend into the reentrant 26 and have their free ends positioned within the tapered aperture 27 on opposite sides of the threaded portion 29 of the valve stem 29, which threaded portion they are adapted to engage. The jaws 30 are pivotally mounted at 31 upon an angular bracket 32 that is secured to an inwardly projecting lug 33 formed on the lower mold section 11. The jaws 30 are moved upon their pivot 31 by a right and left hand screw 34 that is provided with an operating lever 35.

For connecting the valve stem 29 to a source of vulcanizing fluid such as steam, a nozzle member, generally designated 36, is mounted within the reentrant 26 in position to engage the end of the valve stem therein. The nozzle 36is formed with a rearward extension 36 by which it is adjustably connected by a stud-bolt 37 to an articulated support comprising links 38 and 39 and bracket 40, the latter being swiveled at 41 upon a proj ecting lug 43 formed on the inner peripher al wall of the mold member. The links 38, 39 and bracket 40 are connected by stud-bolts 42, 42, the arrangement being such that the nozzle 36 may be accurately positioned so as to be engageable with valve stems 29 of any length or angularity.

The forward end portion of the nozzle 36 is formed with an upwardly opening, annular recess 45, and a pair of spaced passages 46, 46 extend from said recess, near the bottom thereof, to a rearwardly extending bore 47 into which is threaded the end-nipple 48 of a flexible fluid-conductor pipe 49, the latter having communication with a source of heated vulcanizing fluid (not shown).

Centrally mounted in the recess 45 is a plunger 50, the base of which is formedwith a circumferential flange 51 that 'slidably engages the wall of the recess 45, and said flangeis formed with a plurality of peripheral notches or recesses 52. 52 which permit fluid entering the recess 45 below the plunger to pass around the flange 51.; Preferably the upper face of the flange 51' is beveled as shown at 51 so as to prevent it from completely closing off the passages 46' when the nseasoa plunger is in its lowermost position. The plunger 50 is formed with a downwardly opening axial bore 53 in which is mounted a compression spring 54 that seats upon the floor of the recess 45 and urges the plunger upwardly, The top of the plunger is formed with an upstanding, flat-topped pin 55, and about the base of the pin a plurality of apertures 56, 56 extend from the top of the plunger to the axial bore 53 therein.

The top of the plunger 50 is somewha smaller than the body portion thereof to provide a seat for an annular gasket 57 of resilient material such as rubber. The gasket 57 is retained in place upon the plunger by a gland 58 that is threaded onto the plunger at 59, and has an inwardly extending flange 60 on its upper end that overlies said gasket. The upper end portion of the gland 58 is of somewhat smaller diameter than its lower end portion, the latter sliding freely within the recess 45, and confining between its bottom face and the flange 51 a double-lip gasket 62, the latter sealing the structure to prevent the escape of vulcanizing fluid elsewhere than through the apertures 56. Upward movement of the plunger 50 and gland 58 under the force of the spring 54 is limited by a plate 63- that is secured to the top surface of the nozzle by cap-screws 64, 64, and extends partly around the gland over a shoulder 65 formed thereon at the junction of its reduced upper portion with its larger lower portion.

The reduced upper portion of the gland 58 extends some distance above the gasket 57 at the front and sides, but at the. rear is relatively low, and beveled as is shown at 66. The upper edge of the gland 56 is arcuate, as is most clearly shown in Figure 3. and en gaging said'edge is a lever 67 that is pivotally mounted at 68 upon the extension 36 of the nozzle structure 36. The central portion of the lever 67 is cut away or open as is most clearly shown at 69, Figure 2 to facilitate the mounting of the valve stem 29 in engagement with the nozzle. The rear end of the lever 67 constitutes a hand-grip portion by which the front end of the lever may be depressed to move the gland 58 downwardly against the pressure of the spring 54. In the lowermost position of the gland, wherein the plunger rests upon the bottom of the recess 45, the top of the gland at the rear thereof is substantially flush with the top face of the plate 63. V

In the operation of the improved nozzle, the vulcanizer being open, an unvulcanized rubber inner tube 25 is mounted in the molding cavity of the lower mold section 11, the valve stem 29 thereof, preferably with valve mechanism therein, being inserted through the apertured disk 28 and moved toward the reentrant 26 of the lower mold section. While swinging the valve stem 29 toward the position shown in Figure 3, the operator with his other hand manipulates the lever 67 of the nozzle 36 so as to depress the forward end thereof, and thereby to depress the gland 58. The operator then guides the end of the valve stem through the open portion 69 of the lever 67 and over the low rear portion of the gland 58, the stem coming to rest against the elevated front portion of the gland, substantially concentric with the latter. The lever is then released to permit-the gland and plunger to rise under the force of the spring 54: thereby lifting the gasket into sealing engagement with the open end of the valve stem, and causing the pin 55 on the up per end of the plunger 50 to engage and open the valve mechanism in the valve stem, as is most clearly shown in Figure 3.

The jaws 30 are then caused firmly to grip the threaded portion of the valve stem by the throwing of their operating lever 35, after which the vulcanizer is closedby loweringthe upper mold section .12 upon the lower mold section 11 so as to confine the tube 25 within the cavity 24 of the mold. The mold sections are continuously heated by means of their steam jackets, and after the vulcanizer is closed vulcanizing fluid is turned into the pipe 49 whence it passes through the nozzle 36 and out of the apertures 56 therein into the valve stem 29 and into the tube 25. After the latter is vulcanized the vulcanizing fluid is withdrawn or vented therefrom through the nozzle 36 and pipe 49, the vulcanizer is opened, and the finished tube is removed from the mold, the lever 67 again being manipulated to depress the gland 58 soas to permit the removal of the valve stem from the nozzle.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the nozzle is adapted for facile and fluid-tight engagement with a valve stem. The feature of the double-lip gasket causes the vulcanizing fluid itself to effect a sealing of the nozzle so that fluid is delivered therefrom only through the apertures 56.

Modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims which are not limited wholly to the specific construction shown and described.

What is claimed is 1. In a nozzle, the combination of a fixedly mounted body structure, a. yieldingly mounted plunger therein formed with a passage for fluid therethrough, means for delivering fluid beneath said plunger, a gasket on the top of said plunger adapted to make sealed connection with an article, and means formanually depressingsaid plungerprior to the engagement of an article therewith. V

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the means for manually depressing the plunger consists of a lever mounted upon the nozzle body. a

3. In a nozzle, the combination of a fixedly mounted body structure, a yieldingly mounted plunger therein formed with a fluid passage therethrough, means for-delivering fluid gasket on said plunger, and manually oper ated means engaging said gland for depressing the gland and plunger.

- 4:. A combination as defined in claim 3 including a valve-opening pin projecting from the plunger.

5. In anozzle, the combination of a fixedly mounted bodystructu-re formed with a recess, a yieldingly mounted plunger in said recess formed with a fluid passage, means for delivto said plunger, a gasket on the top of said plunger adapted tomake fluid tight 'conne'ction with an article, a'gland retaining said ering' fluid to said plunger, a lip gasket mounted between the plunger and the wall of the recess, means on the plunger for making fluid-tight engagement with an article, and

manually operatedmeans for depressingthe plunger prior to its engagement with the article.

6. In a nozzle, the combination of a body structure formed with a recess, a yieldingly with an axial bore, means for delivering fluid to said plunger, an article-engaging gasket surrounding the delivery port of the axial bore of the plunger, and a gland mounted upon the plunger for securing the gasket thereto, said gland extendinga substantial distanceabove the gasket onthree sides, and being of reduced height on one side to permit the insertion of a valve stem of an inflatable article thereat.

8. A combination as defined in claim 7 including a. manually operated lever engaging the elevated portion of the gland for depressing the same and the plunger;

, 9. In a nozzle, the combination of a fixedly mounted body structure formed with a recess, a plunger yieldingly mounted in said recess and formed with an axial bore, means for delivering fluid to said plunger, a gasket mountas V ed upon the top of said plunger surrounding the delivery port of the axial bore therein, a

gland securing said gasket to the plunger and formedwith an upstanding flange that is of reduced height on one side, and'a manually operated'lever engaging the gland for depressing the gland and plunger, said lever having an open central portion-aligned with the reduced portion of the gland to facilitate the seating of an article upon the gasket.

10. A combination as defined in claim 9 including a lip gasket between the plunger and the wall of its recess.

11. In a nozzle the combination of a fixedl mounted body structure formed with a recess, a plunger mounted in said recess and formed with an axial fluid passage, means for delivering fluid to said plunger, a spring beneath said plunger normally urging it outwardly, a gasket on the top of said plunger, a gland retaining said gasket on the plunger, the top of said gland being of irregular height, a plate adapted to be engaged by the gland to limit the movement of the latter and the plunger under the force of the spring, and means for depressing the plunger and gland so that a portion of the top of the latter is substantially flush with said plate.

CATO IVERSON. 

